Objects that say Singapore

Today's Sunday Times has an article entitled "50 objects that say Singapore" ie. objects which over the years can tell the history of Singapore. Amongst the 50 items listed I could relate most to 3 of them.

When I returned to Singapore after spending more than 10 years in KL where my father had a tailor shop, my siblings and me had to put up at various relatives' homes in Singapore. For more than 2 years we pined for a home of our own. Heavenly bliss came in a small envelop (like the one shown in the picture) containing a set of keys to a new 2-room rented HDB flat. This was the best set of home keys I had ever received. I don't even remember being half as happy getting keys to progressively bigger homes over the years after getting married. The HDB envelopes must have really lighted up many many faces over the years. To me it deserves top spot in our history.

The second object triggered an amusing memory. Many many years ago when my daughter was in primary school, to celebrate National Day the Straits Times held an art contest whereby kids were asked to submit drawings with Singapore as the theme. Now I had never been a mother who bothered to encourage her children to take part in contests, least of all art contest. However my daughter was pestering me for a Tamagotchi which was the rave of the day. 50 tamagotchis were to be given away by ST for winners of the contest. I told my daughter who always hovered between a pass and a fail for art to try her luck. We put our heads together on what it must take for her drawing to attract the judges' attention, knowing if she drew a national day parade hers would be the first into the garbage bin. It must also be a drawing that saw little difference between that of a talent and an untalented. So we agreed that she should draw a durian because it's Singaporeans' favourite food, because it is least time consuming to draw and also the only thing she was capable of drawing. So amongst the 50 little drawings that appeared in the papers, the durian was the only one amongst national day parades, fireworks, etc. Aha! after so many years our idea is validated by ST today and chosen amongst 50 items that say Singapore.

And least but definitely not last, it's my husband's favourite, trustworthy and never failing "Good Morning" brand hand towel. He has been using this branded towel since the day he first learnt to wash his face in the morning. I think my husband deserves a loyalty badge. No other lush and soft imported towels can replace this 祝君早安 towel. I think it is more than just being cheap (S$3.50 for half a dozen) and lasting as he claims. Unknown to many, it probably has a far more significant value. It perhaps provides an assuring presence every morning in a shifting world, it touches your face and greets you with a comforting "Good Morning" before you walk out to meet the changing faces of Singapore.